London with my friends. 10.3-13.3.2022

 We had our long waited trip to London with my best friends! My pal Otto had two shows  during the weekend and it was good reason to go to my first gig abroad with him. Simo, Aarno, Antti, Oula, Ville and few others with us. 

We arrived on 10th with Simo and Antti before other came day after. Walking around Chelsea area, having beer in the park, food at the pub, football, some birds too, cause the weather was super nice and sunny. We also visited Harrods and some other tourist places of course. 

Exiting Carrion Crow.

First winter Back-headed Gull.

Local Squirrel. 

Ringed Parakeet.

Coot with the nest.

Egyptian Goose.

On Friday our group was together and we had short visit to Spital Fields and pub of course before diner with Otto. Fron there we took Übers to the Electric Brixton where the gig was. Amazing night with 2000 people, good music and friends. Back at the hotel way too late, or too early at 6.30 am. 

Wild night.

We had our private balcony at the venue. 

I had only three hour sleep and we had quick breakfast before touring the Big Ben and those areas. Later afternoon a football game at the Millwall stadium the Den. Great atmosphere, crazy fans and pretty good game against Middlesborough FC from the Middlands. 0-0 was the final result. We also visited Wembley Park and some outlet area after the game. 

Big Ben under renovation.

Antti, Aarno and flags.

Millwall stadium.

Next show at the evening, but this time I was way too tired to stay up all night, so me and Aarno headed back to hotel around 3am. Sleeping was nice. 

Sunday was slow, nothing really exiting. On our way to Heathrow we visited Westfields shopping mall, biggest I´ve ever seen.. Some shopping for the kids and to the airport. 

Not too many "wild" birds this trip. Garganey was surprisingly common, loads of different gulls, lone Wagtail, Robins, Common Buzzard, Tufted Ducks, two Common Pochards, Showeler male, lots of Goldfinches, Ringed Parakeets, Carrion Crows and something like that. In Hyde Park I had Black Swan, Wood Duck, Red-breasted Geese, Mandarin Duck, about ten Egyptian Geese and tens of Moorhens. 

-Tom